Giants trail Dodgers in baseball rankings roundup

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw stands on the sideline during a preseason NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Dallas Cowboys, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, in Los Angeles. He could be standing on a mound soon for Los Angeles. Mark J. TerrillThe Associated Press

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw stands on the sideline during a preseason NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Dallas Cowboys, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, in Los Angeles. He could be standing on a mound soon for Los Angeles. Mark J. TerrillThe Associated Press

For the first time this season, the Giants trail the Dodgers in the baseball rankings roundup, according to the four polls sampled here (ESPN, Bleacher Report, USA Today, SI.com).

Following a 2-5 week, the Giants’ average ranking is 9.75, an average drop of three places. Meanwhile, the Dodgers, who were only 4-3, have an average ranking of 7.25.

Next week’s rankings roundup could look much different – and that could mean better or worse for fans of the Orange and Black.

The Giants and Dodgers meet for three games in Los Angeles beginning Tuesday. The Giants, a major-league worst 11-23 since the All-Star break, are coming off Sunday’s frustrating 2-0 nationally televised loss to the New York Mets.

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The Dodgers flew home from Cincinnati on Monday after peppering Great American Ballpark with seven home runs. Adrian Gonzalez was responsible for three of those and had a career-best eight RBIs in the 18-9 victory.

As for the rest of the state’s major league teams: The rampaging Padres (3-4 last week) hold a slight lead over the not-rampaging A’s (1-5) with an average-ranking lead of 24.25 to 25.25. The Angels (3-4 and 26.25) are last for the second week in a row.

Sorting the data:

Dodgers

Average rank: 7.25

Average change: +0.5

High/low: 7/8

From ESPN (No. 7): “Clayton Kershaw threw about 25 pitches in a bullpen session Saturday. His next step will be a bullpen session on Tuesday, scheduled for 40 to 45 pitches. … Los Angeles, 38-24 at home, will be home for 12 of its next 16 games.”

Giants

Average rank: 9.75

Average change: -3.0

High/low: 7/13

From Bleacher Report (No. 13): “Last Tuesday marked the first time since May 10 that they did not hold at least a share of the N.L. West lead, and they (ended last week) trailing the rival Los Angeles Dodgers by a half-game. Those two teams kick off the upcoming week with a huge three-game series in Los Angeles, as the Giants look to get things headed back in the right direction after Noah Syndergaard and the Mets shut them out Sunday night.”

Padres

Average rank: 24.25

Average change: +.25

High/low: 24/25

From Bleacher Report (No. 24): “The revolving door of a starting rotation continues to spin, as 14 different pitchers have started at least one game for the Friars this season. They’re currently going with a six-man staff of Luis Perdomo, Edwin Jackson, Christian Friedrich, Paul Clemens, Jarred Cosart and Clayton Richard.”

A’s

Average rank: 25.25

Average change: -2.25

High/low: 22/27

From Bleacher Report (No. 26): “Their lone victory of the week was impressive, though, as Kendall Graveman tossed the first shutout of his career with a two-hit, no-walk performance on Friday.”

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